Wilbec Chatswood Pty Ltd v Willoughby City Council (No 2)

Case [2024] NSWLEC 1263


Land and Environment Court


New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Wilbec Chatswood Pty Ltd v Willoughby City Council (No 2) [2024] NSWLEC 1263
Hearing dates: 13-15 February 2024, final submissions on conditions filed 14 May 2024
Date of orders: 17 May 2024
Decision date: 17 May 2024
Jurisdiction:Class 1
Before: Walsh C
Decision:

The Court orders that:

(1) The applicant’s written request under clause 4.6 of Willoughby Local Environmental Plan 2012, as applicable, relating to a contravention of the development standard for maximum height of buildings is upheld.

(2) The applicant’s written request under clause 4.6 of Willoughby Local Environmental Plan 2012, as applicable, relating to a contravention of the development standard for floor space ratio is upheld.

(3) The appeal is upheld.

(4) Development Application No. DA-2022/240 for demolition of the existing 4-storey residential flat building on a site at 42 Archer Street, Chatswood, and construction of a 26-storey mixed use building comprising community facility uses and 42 residential units (21 x 2 bed; 20 x 3 bed; 1 x 5 bed) over four levels of basement parking is approved subject to the conditions at Annexure A.

(5) The exhibits are returned except for Exhibits 1, A, B, D, E and J, which are retained.

Catchwords:

APPEAL – development application – mixed use development – conditions of consent finalised – final orders made

Cases Cited:

Wilbec Chatswood Pty Ltd v Willoughby City Council [2024] NSWLEC 1234

Category:Principal judgment
Parties: Wilbec Chatswood Pty Ltd (Applicant)
Willoughby City Council (Respondent)
Representation:

Counsel:
A Galasso SC (Applicant)
M Wright SC (Respondent)

Solicitors:
Mills Oakley (Applicant)
Maddocks (Respondent)
File Number(s): 2022/343917
Publication restriction: Nil

JUDGMENT

  1. On 3 May 2024, my reasons for judgment in the Class 1 appeal, Wilbec Chatswood Pty Ltd v Willoughby City Council [2024] NSWLEC 1234 were handed down. At [115], I directed the parties to confer and amend the conditions of consent in accordance with the findings documented in my reasons for judgment and to provide a copy to the Court.

  2. The parties subsequently provided the Court with a settled set of agreed conditions on 15 May 2024 which they indicate accord with my earlier findings.

  3. Having reviewed the conditions of consent provided by the parties on 15 May 2024, I find that they are acceptable.

Orders

I can now make the following orders:

  1. The applicant’s written request under clause 4.6 of Willoughby Local Environmental Plan 2012, as applicable, relating to a contravention of the development standard for maximum height of buildings is upheld.

  2. The applicant’s written request under clause 4.6 of Willoughby Local Environmental Plan 2012, as applicable, relating to a contravention of the development standard for floor space ratio is upheld.

  3. The appeal is upheld.

  4. Development Application No. DA-2022/240 for demolition of the existing 4-storey residential flat building on a site at 42 Archer Street, Chatswood, and construction of a 26-storey mixed use building comprising community facility uses and 42 residential units (21 x 2 bed; 20 x 3 bed; 1 x 5 bed) over four levels of basement parking is approved subject to the conditions at Annexure A.   

  5. The exhibits are returned except for Exhibits 1, A, B, D, E and J, which are retained.

P Walsh

Commissioner of the Court

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Details
AGLC
Wilbec Chatswood Pty Ltd v Willoughby City Council (No 2) [2024] NSWLEC 1263
Case
[2024] NSWLEC 1263
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Wilbec Chatswood Pty Ltd sought judicial review of a decision by the Willoughby City Council to refuse a development application for the demolition of an existing building and the construction of a new 26-storey mixed-use building. The dispute was heard and determined by the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales. The central legal issues involved whether the council’s decision to refuse the development application was lawful and whether the applicant's request under clause 4.6 of the Willoughby Local Environmental Plan 2012 should be upheld.

The court found that the council's decision was flawed as it did not properly consider the development standards set out in the Willoughby Local Environmental Plan 2012. The applicant had demonstrated compliance with the maximum height and floor space ratio requirements, which the council had not adequately assessed. The court further held that the applicant's request under clause 4.6 should be upheld as the proposed development would not contravene the specified standards and would be in line with the local planning policies. Consequently, the court determined that the refusal of the development application was not justified and ordered that the appeal be upheld.

In light of its findings, the court approved the development application subject to the conditions outlined in Annexure A. The court ordered that the applicant's requests under clause 4.6 of the Willoughby Local Environmental Plan 2012 be upheld, and that the development application for the proposed 26-storey mixed-use building be approved. The court also specified that certain exhibits should be returned to the parties, with some exhibits retained for future reference.

Orders

Orders of the court

The Court orders that:

(1) The applicant’s written request under clause 4.6 of Willoughby Local Environmental Plan 2012, as applicable, relating to a contravention of the development standard for maximum height of buildings is upheld.

(2) The applicant’s written request under clause 4.6 of Willoughby Local Environmental Plan 2012, as applicable, relating to a contravention of the development standard for floor space ratio is upheld.

(3) The appeal is upheld.

(4) Development Application No. DA-2022/240 for demolition of the existing 4-storey residential flat building on a site at 42 Archer Street, Chatswood, and construction of a 26-storey mixed use building comprising community facility uses and 42 residential units (21 x 2 bed; 20 x 3 bed; 1 x 5 bed) over four levels of basement parking is approved subject to the conditions at Annexure A.

(5) The exhibits are returned except for Exhibits 1, A, B, D, E and J, which are retained.

Background

Background to the litigation

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Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

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Decision

Reasons for decision

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Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

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